This article contains spoilers from One Piece's Elbaf arc.

Summary

  • Holy Knights aren't strong enough to be the main villains of Elbaf.
  • Gaban is far stronger than the Holy Knights.
  • The main villain will appear after Loki's flashback.

The Elbaf arc of One Piece has been phenomenal so far, and fans can't get enough of the quality that Oda is delivering at the moment. However, at the same time, it must also be said that this arc is quite confusing at the moment. While Elbaf has given fans big reveals, some legendary characters, powerful Devil Fruits, and even exciting battles, it is still keeping its main villain hidden.

One Piece: Oda Has Already Shown The Most Special Haki Type In Elbaf
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The One Piece world has many interesting power systems. Oda reveals the very strongest power.

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The Holy Knights were believed by many to be the main villains of Elbaf for the longest time, but the recent One Piece chapter, One Piece 1148, basically confirms that this isn't the case. But, fans needn't worry as Oda has already implied in his story when the main threat to Elbaf will make their appearance.

The Holy Knights Aren't The Main Villains Of Elbaf

  • The Holy Knights Aren't Strong Enough To Be The Main Villains
  • Gaban Is Far Stronger Than The Holy Knights

When the Holy Knights first came to Elbaf, fans knew that they would be very overpowered. In a way, that is still true. To the vast majority of the One Piece, including the likes of some Yonko like Luffy, or Admirals, the Holy Knights and the Five Elders are simply unbeatable. This is down to their biggest strength, and that is the power of immortality. In Egghead, Oda showed the power of immortality with the Five Elders. Now, the Holy Knights have displayed the same ability, which simply means that they can't be beaten by the vast majority. But, there is clearly a way to counter immortality, and One Piece chapter 1148 has basically shown the fans just that.

Burn down your schools and libraries and submit to the World Government! — Sommers

In One Piece chapter 1148, Oda officially showed the fans that the immorality of the Five Elders can be countered. It was Scopper Gaban, the left hand of the Pirate King Roger, who countered the power of the Holy Knights and exposed their weakness. This basically confirms that these three Holy Knights aren't the main villains for two reasons.

The first reason is that one of them is down already, and while two remain, none of them will be strong enough to pose a threat to Gaban. The Straw Hats are tied, which means the other two must be beaten as well, and soon. It is highly likely that this will happen.

The second reason is that the Monster Trio is in the Underworld. There is absolutely no way that the Monster Trio won't fight the main enemies or the arc. The safest and likeliest conclusion here is that these three Holy Knights aren't the main villains here.

The Main Villain Will Appear After Loki's Flashback

It Could Be Shamrock Figarland or Someone Even Stronger

Fans might be wondering who the main villain of Elbaf is and when they'll appear, but the answer is clear. In terms of power, the main villain has to be someone strong enough to fight Luffy and the Wings. As such, someone like Shamrock Figarland, or someone even stronger, makes perfect sense. It could even be Imu themself, given that an Abyss had been established with Elbaf. It could also be Loki, although in this case, Loki won't be a villain, but someone who simply fights Luffy and eventually sides with him.

Scopper Gaban Power One Piece
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Don't overstay your time in Elbaf! — Louis Arnot

The Loki Flashback Will Be Dealt With First

As for when the main villain of Elbaf will come, the answer is clear. First, the three Holy Knights need to be dealt with. This is because the children of Elbaf need to be saved, as is the case with the Straw Hat Pirates and the School and Library of Elbaf. Once this is done, the conflict in the Underworld must be resolved. In other words, Loki will be freed and fans will likely see hai flashback too. Once that is done, Oda will officially introduce the main threat, and fans will likely see Luffy and Loki fight together.

One Piece chapter 1148 will be out soon, in a week. As usual, One Piece is going to drop on Sunday. In Japan, One Piece drops at 12AM JST on Monday. However, the vast majority of international readers will see the chapter available on May 11. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1148 is May 11, 2025. Fans can read the chapter for free on Manga Plus.

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Release Date
October 20, 1999
Network
Fuji TV
Directors
Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
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  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Mayumi Tanaka
    Monkey D. Luffy (voice)
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Kazuya Nakai
    Roronoa Zoro (voice)

WHERE TO WATCH

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Studio
Toei Animation
Creator
Eiichiro Oda
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu, Pluto TV